Otherworld
by Cactus Bob
Summary: When Yugi starts experiencing changes in his memory, can the gang help him, or will it be too late? Based on the Buffy the Vampire Episode “Normal Again”.
1. Phantasmagoria

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh. Never will. Never can. Unless Takahashi-san puts me in his will or something.

* * *

_He knew that smell… bleach, mold, and dried blood. He had hoped to never smell it again._

_He sat up on his dirty white bed. The walls, once a beige color, were stained brown and green. The floor had reddish-brown stains on it. There was a single barred window to his left, allowing the moonlight to illuminate the soiled room._

"_Where am I?" He thought blearily. His mind felt fuzzy, his thoughts were confused. Unpleasant images swirled in front of him. He looked at his hands… and then at his wrists. They were bandaged and blood-stained. _

_A creak signified the opening of the cell door._

"_It's time for your medicine, Yugi."_

* * *

"Yugi? Yugi!" Atem shouted, trying to get Yugi's attention.

"What?" Yugi asked, shaken from his thoughts.

"I asked if you wanted pancakes or waffles." Atem asked, peering at him.

"Umm… waffles, please." Yugi mumbled, rubbing his eyes.

Atem examined him. "Are you alright?" he asked, sounding concerned.

Yugi looked down. "Why was I thinking about that again?" he thought, somewhat annoyed at himself for bringing those unpleasant memories up again.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Yugi said.

"I don't want to worry him. He'll just act weird if he knows." he thought, assuring himself.

Atem looked like he didn't believe at first, but nodded and started making breakfast.

"That cell… I wish I could just forget it. There's nothing about my time there that I want to remember."

* * *

"Hey, Yugi." Said Tea's voice over the phone.

"Hi, Tea…" Yugi said. He sounded depressed.

"What's up? Is something wrong?"

"How long have we been friends, Tea?"

"Oh, umm," Tea stopped to calculate. "About six years or so. Why?"

"I was just… thinking about the past, that's all." Yugi said quietly.

"The past, huh? You don't talk about the past much, do you?"

Yugi chuckled. "No, not really."

There was a pause.

"Do you remember when we first met, Tea?" Yugi asked.

Tea laughed. "Yeah, I do. You were really weird back then."

"Yeah, I remember…"

"_Hey, who's that kid over there?" a ten-year-old Tea asked her friends, Isabelle and Cathy. _

_Isabelle shrugged. "I don't know. New kid. He's kind of strange, though…"_

"_Well, I'm gonna go say hi." Tea said indignantly. "Strange or not."_

_Tea walked up to Yugi, who was crouching in the sandbox. He didn't move or notice she was there, he just continued to stare unwaveringly at the ground._

"_Hi!" Tea said cheerfully, extending her hand. "I'm Tea Gardner." Yugi looked up at her, but didn't shake her hand. "Umm…" Tea said, feeling uncomfortable and lowering her hand. "What's your name?"_

_Yugi stood up and cocked his head at her. "My name is Yugi." he said, with a distinct Japanese accent(1). _

_Tea smiled brightly. "Cool name!" She said, and he smiled faintly. She leaned close to his face, and he leaned backwards, almost to the point of falling over. "Do you wanna be friends, Yugi?" Tea asked._

_Yugi looked her up and down, appearing to be carefully considering the question. "What do I have to do?" he asked finally._

_Tea was taken aback. He really WAS strange. "Friends support each other!" she after she had thought about it. "They're always there when the other person needs them, and they keep each other company, too!"(2)_

_Yugi nodded and said, "I can do that… friend."_

"I don't think I'd ever met a ten-year-old who didn't know what a friend was." Tea said, laughing.

"Yeah…" Yugi said. "Well, I gotta go, Tea. Bye."

"Bye."

Yugi hung up the phone. "Friends support each other…" he thought. "Sometimes too much, though." Then he changed into his soft cotton pajamas, said goodnight to Atem, and went to bed.

* * *

_He knew that smell… bleach, whitewash, and cotton. Where had he smelled it before?_

_He sat up on his clean, soft bed. The walls were a beige color, trimmed with a pine molding. The floor was linoleum, a checker pattern of black and white. There were two pane windows to his left, letting in warm, shining sunlight._

"_Where am I?" he thought blearily. His mind felt pleasant fuzzy, his thoughts floating about in his head. Soft, bright images swirled in front of him. He looked at his hands… and then at his wrists. There was a paper bracelet around the right one, inscribed with the name "Yugi Mutou"._

_A creak signified the opening of the cell door._

"_It's time for your medicine, sweetie." said a forcefully cheery and impossibly familiar voice._

"_Momma?"_

* * *

(1) Since Yugi seems to be the only one (besides the Kaibas) with a Japanese name, I thought it would be fun if he was from Japan and moved to America.

(2) Tea's first friendship speech ever!


	2. Circumvention

"_I don't want… any medicine." Yugi said venomously. His eyes narrowed with a virulence that his parents would never have recognized. _

_The doctor sighed, removing a bottle of sedative and a syringe from his coat pocket. "Nurse?" he called out the door. Two women in pink scrubs came in._

"_Same as usual?" one of them asked._

"_Same as usual, Nurse Hana." He replied, sticking the needle into the bottle and filling it with tranquilizer. _

_The nurses rolled up their cotton sleeves and walked towards Yugi, grabbing him by the wrists and ankles. _

"_Let go of me!" Yugi screamed, as he fought futilely against the nurses for freedom. _

"_Don't worry, Yugi." The doctor said softly, as the nurses bound Yugi to his stained bed with leather restraints. "It won't hurt anymore than usual." _

* * *

Yugi woke with a start. Feeling nauseous at his vivid recollection, he quietly made his way to the bathroom and vomited the remains of his dinner into the toilet. The early morning had a surreal feeling, as he sat on the bathroom floor, wiping bile from the corners of his mouth. He then calmly brushed his teeth and walked into the kitchen, not feeling much like sleeping.

Yugi sat at the kitchen table, sipping the ginger ale he had poured himself to sooth his churning stomach and burning throat. He had recently begun to see his past with a sort of cold disdain, but now… It's like he was there all over again.

"It doesn't matter." he thought, sighing aloud. "It doesn't matter how my memories make me feel. It's over. I need to master this again."

"Yugi?" called a sleepy sounding voice from the hallway. Atem pushed open the kitchen door slowly, rubbing his eyes as he walked in. "What are you doing up?" he asked, sounded concerned and somewhat annoyed simultaneously.

"Oh, I…" What excuse could he use to explain this? "I had a bad dream, that's all."

Atem sat down in a chair opposite to Yugi's. "Do you want to talk about it?" he asked, sounding suddenly lucid.

Yugi squirmed. "No…" he said, trying to get off the subject as soon as possible. "Not really."

Atem seemed unsatisfied with that answer, but he overlooked it and asked, "Do you want me to stay up with you?"

"Why can't this guy just leave me alone?" Yugi thought bitterly.

"It's alright." Yugi said "It's only 2:30; you should go back to bed."

"I'll go to bed when you come with me."

"Damn," Yugi swore. "He just won't give up." Yugi stopped himself. "Did I just curse mentally?" he thought, upset. "These memories are really affecting me… maybe I should tell him. No. No, I shouldn't do that."

"Okay, I'll go to bed." Yugi said, faking a smile.

Atem grinned. "Good." he said. "Now come on, before Grandpa notices we're up."

Yugi followed Atem back into the bedroom, trying to push off the uneasiness his sudden reminiscence had caused in him.

* * *

"_Momma… I missed you!" Yugi said cheerfully, practically bouncing up and down on his bed. His eyes sparkled with bright excitement._

_Yugi's mother looked concerned, yet excited. "He's not usually this responsive, Doctor." she said._

"_I know…" the doctor said thoughtfully. "Yugi?" he asked._

_Yugi cocked his head cutely. "What is it?" he asked. Innocence and naivety radiated from him._

"_Do you know who I am?" the doctor asked. _

_Yugi thought for a moment. "No, I don't think so." he said sadly. Had he forgotten this nice man?_

_The doctor pointed to Yugi's mother. "Do you know this woman?" he asked. _

"_Momma!" Yugi squealed happily._

_The doctor turned to Yugi's mother. "Mrs. Mutou, let's see if he reacts to his father. This may be a good sign."_

_Mrs. Mutou nodded. "Yes. Yes, of course. I'll call him at work."_

* * *

"Hey guys!" Tristan said, as he walked up to the rest of the gang, who trying to teach Atem how to play poker during lunch.

"Hey." The gang resounded simultaneously.

"What do these "A" cards mean, Yugi?" Atem asked, showing them to Yugi, who sighed and folded.

"So guess what?" Tristan said, excited.

"What is it, man?" Joey asked. "Usually you're not dis… bouncy."

"I got a bonus on my paycheck!" he yelled, making emphatic gestures with his hands. "Finally all these months of working has paid off!"

"Wait," Tea interrupted. "You're working?"

Tristan looked disappointed. "Haven't you been listening to me? I've been delivering packages on my motorcycle for extra cash." He stopped, and looked excited again. "So I'm taking you guys all out to lunch on Saturday!"

"Free food…" Joey drooled. "Awesome…"

Tea slapped him on the back of his head. "You always eat free food, doofus!" she scolded.

Yugi shuffled his cards quietly.

* * *

"_I don't like their medicine…" Yugi thought drowsily. "It makes me sleepy."_

_Yugi struggled against the restraints that held him, but he was too weak. He gave up and slumped on his bed in defeat. "I miss you…Momma… I miss you… Dadda…"_

_Tears of sorrow streamed down his cheeks, wetting the stained mattress. There was nothing to do…but sleep._

* * *

"Geez, Yug', don't be so excited." Joey said sarcastically.

"Oh…" Yugi said softly. "Sorry."

"What's up wit' you, man?" Joey asked, bending down to look Yugi in the eye.

Yugi faked a grin. "It's nothing."

"I'll have… the strawberry milkshake, coffee, orange juice, toast, pancakes, sausage, bacon, and… fried eggs." Joey said, handing the menu to the waitress.

"Dude, you're not spending your money, you know." Tristan said, annoyed.

"Yeah." Joey said proudly. "I know."

"I need more female friends…" Tea said, shaking her head. Atem chuckled.

"We men aren't all bad, you know." Atem said.

"Of course not." Tea said, grabbing Atem's hand. "You're special. Why else would I be dating you?"

Joey snickered. "Ya already have a female friend, Tea. Yugi's sittin' right next to ya."

"Joey!" Atem chided. Yugi seemed to pay no mind however, and looked dazedly out of the window.

* * *

"_Son?" Yugi's father asked, sitting down next to him._

"_Dadda? You're here!" Yugi exclaimed, jumping on his father and hugging him around the neck._

"_I can't believe he actually knows us…" Yugi's mother said, looking like she could weep for joy._

"_Kanae, we shouldn't get our hopes up. You know that he could go back to the way he was before at any time." Mr. Mutou said, rubbing Yugi's back as they embraced each other._

"_Your husband is right, Mrs. Mutou." the doctor said, pulling her aside. "We should give Yugi some time, and only tell him what's been going on for the past two years if he continues to respond."_

"_Yes…" Kanae said softly. "Yes, you're right."_

* * *

Yugi returned to reality to find Joey and Tristan leaning over him, trying to find out what he was looking at.

"Dude, what are you seein' that we ain't?" Joey asked.

Yugi shook his head, trying to clear his mind of the recent inconsistencies that had sprung up in his memory. "Sorry, I spaced. What were we talking about?" he asked, hoping they would overlook his distraction.

Everyone stared at him. "We just called you a girl." Joey said flatly.

"Right." Yugi said, still distracted. "Hey, I have to go to the bathroom, I'll be right back." he said, and skirted off to the men's restroom.

The gang watched him as he left. "What's with him?" Tea asked. "He's usually not this zoned out."

"He's been acting strangely for a few days now…" Atem said, sounding worried. "I hope he would tell us if something was wrong."

"Of course he would." Tristan assured them, though it seemed he was assuring himself. "We're his best friends."

* * *

"Yugi?" Atem asked, as he sat with Yugi while they watched the Food Channel.

"What is it?" Yugi asked, turning to look at him.

"Is… everything alright?" Atem asked tentatively. "You've seemed a little… distracted lately."

Yugi paused for a second, and then smiled. "Everything's fine." He said, smiling.

That momentary pause disturbed Atem. "He's not telling me the truth…" he thought. "But I will let him tell me when he's ready."

Atem returned to watching TV, and Yugi nearly sighed in relief. "There's no need to worry him." Yugi thought. "I'll figure this out on my own."


	3. Mendacity

_Yugi and the psychiatrist sat across from each other. Yugi's tendency towards violence had earned him a straight jacket, especially after that incident with Nurse Hana. _

_The psychiatrist gave the signal to start the camera. "What's your name?" he asked the feral-looking boy sitting across from him, who was gazing intently at the floor. _

_Yugi raised his head. "Yugi. Mutou." he said shortly, and then continued to look at the floor._

_The psychiatrist wrote something on his noteboard. "I'm Dr. Tanaka." he said cheerfully. Yugi didn't respond, or seem to care. Tanaka was worried… he had never interacted with this child before, so he didn't know what would persuade him to talk freely. _

_He chose a more blunt approach. "Why are you here?" he asked calmly, though his heart was racing._

_Yugi peered at him and scoffed. "Apparently, I didn't handle the murder and mutilation of my parents the way these people want." He said, sneering. _

_Tanaka wrote more notes. "And how long have you been here?"_

_Yugi stopped to think. "Four years." he said. "I've kept track."_

_Tanaka felt pity for the boy. "You've been here since you were five?" he asked._

_Yugi laughed coldly. "That's right."_

"_So…" Tanaka said, as he glanced over Yugi's impressive case file. "What exactly happened between you and Nurse Hana?"_

"_Nurse Hana…" Yugi said, scanning his memory. He smiled. "Yes, the blonde in the pink scrubs." Yugi's eyes narrowed with hatred. "Vile woman… she tried to take away my hot cocoa."_

"_So you took that as an excuse to try and cut out her tongue with your spoon?"_

_Yugi fixed his eyes on the water-damaged ceiling. "It was a waste of a good spoon. I should have ripped it out with my hands." His voice and demeanor were disturbing. He appeared to regret his mistake like one who forgets to pick up milk at the grocery store._

_Tanaka shuffled the notes he had recently made. "You know, there are many different reactions to a grievous loss." Yugi looked at him with disinterest and disdain. "Some people withdraw from the world completely." Tanaka said, ignoring it. "Others become overly affectionate. You are exhibiting another side effect. Your post-traumatic stress has caused you to become incredibly violent towards others and towards yourself."_

_Yugi snorted. "Of course, why didn't I see it before?" he said sarcastically. Yugi stared Tanaka in the eye with a predatory intelligence not often seen in a nine-year-old. "I know what happened to me that night. I saw the evil of the world. I **became** the evil of the world."_

_Tanaka was beginning to feel uncomfortable. "Why would you want to do that? If you know what you're doing, why don't you choose to overcome it?"_

_Yugi grinned. "Because, Doctor," He leaned close to Tanaka's face and whispered, "I like it."_

* * *

Atem and Tea sat quietly on their lunch date. Tea looked at Atem, who seemed a million miles away, and laughed. "Worried about Yugi, aren't you?" She said, smiling.

He started, pulling out of his thoughts. He sighed and said, "I'm sorry, Tea. It's just… he's been so quiet lately." Atem looked down at the sandwich he should have been eating. "He barely says a word all day. Even when I ask him a question directly, he answers as succinctly as he can and walks off."

Tea understood what he was saying. Yugi hadn't called her in days… she was starting to get worried too.

"Well, this eating thing doesn't seem to be working out." She said. "We should go, and confront him on it."

Atem nodded in agreement. "Yes, you're right."

* * *

"_We think it might be a good idea to try a more direct approach." Doctor Yoshida said as he organized his desk. _

"_What do you mean, 'direct approach'?" asked Yugi's father, glancing at Kanae as she held Yugi's hand._

"_You remember, two years ago, when Yugi was exhibiting signs of regaining normal consciousness?" Yoshida asked._

"_Of course," said Kanae. "It was like having my baby boy back again, Ichigo…" Her bottom lip quivered, and she struggled to restrain her tears._

"_Well, we think that we might be able to pull him into this reality using a specific medical procedure." Yoshida said._

_Ichigo looked excited. "Which procedure is that?"_

* * *

"Yugi?" Atem called into the house. "Yugi?" Tea echoed after him. They walked upstairs and knocked on the bedroom door. There was no response.

Atem pushed the door open. "You in there?" he asked, before he entered the room and realized something was horribly wrong.

* * *

_Doctor Tanaka exited the "interrogation room", as some patients called it, looking over the notes he had made in his conversation with the boy Yugi. Next, it was time to consult Yugi's main physician, Doctor Yoshida._

_He walked up to Yoshida's office and rapped on the door. "Come in." Yoshida called from within. Tanaka entered the room, which was rundown and depressing like the rest of the institution. Yoshida motioned for him to sit down._

_Tanaka took his seat. "I'd like to ask you a few questions about the patient Yugi Mutou."_

_Yoshida smiled grimly. "I'm surprised you want to know." _

"_I'm writing an editorial about the treatment of patients with post-traumatic stress disorder." Tanaka said. "Yugi's become almost legendary as far as that subject is concerned."_

_Yoshida's eyes narrowed. "You think I'm treating him improperly?" he asked, suspicious._

"_I didn't specify which side I was going to take, Doctor."_

"_What do you need to know, then?" Yoshida asked, looking contented._

"_Well, I already learned a lot by talking to Yugi himself, but," Tanaka paused. "I'd like to know how you plan on rehabilitating him."_

"_Electroshock therapy." Yoshida said. "We haven't tried it before, but we plan to use it on Yugi for behavior modification."_

"_Is that moral?"_

"_Is it moral to leave him as he is?"_

_Tanaka stopped. "Thank you for your time." he said, getting up and exiting the room._

* * *

Yugi slumped against the wall, unconscious, his nose bleeding profusely. Atem rushed over to his side. "Tea, call the hospital." He said quickly, as he tried to see what exactly was wrong with Yugi. Tea rushed to the kitchen phone.

"Yugi? Yugi, please wake up!" Atem cried nervously. Yugi stirred, much to Atem's relief, and opened his eyes.

Yugi opened his mouth and whispered, "You're not real… you can't be…"

Atem was horrified. "What?! Yugi, of course I'm real!"

Tea ran back into the room. "The ambulance is on its way." she said. "And I called Yugi's grandpa. He'll meet us there."

Atem looked at Yugi, who had fallen back into unconsciousness. "Please be alright, partner…"

* * *

"_It's an experimental procedure called 'electroshock therapy'." explained Dr. Yoshida._

"_What will it do, precisely?" asked Kanae, as she stroked Yugi's hair._

"_Well, it's used in behavior modification, but it's also effective in cases of schizophrenia, such as Yugi's." Yoshida said. "We'll be sending a small electric current through Yugi's brain. This will cause changes in his brain chemistry, which will hopefully give him the normal life he deserves."_

"_That sounds dangerous." Ichigo said. "You're electrocuting my son's brain!"_

"_What Ichigo means to say is," interrupted Kanae. "What are the possible side effects?"_

_Yoshida sighed. "This could cause permanent brain damage. But on the other hand, you could have your son back."_

_Kanae and Ichigo looked at each other, and then at Yugi. _

"_We'll try it."_


	4. Symbiote

Yugi heard a rhythmic beeping noise. He smelled that familiar smell of bleach, whitewash, and cotton. He opened his eyes and sat up. The scene was disturbingly familiar. White, clean walls, white, clean bed, white-and-black checkered floor… It was just like when he was at the mental institution as a child. He didn't want to be back there… he didn't want to be alone…

"Yugi?" said a deep, familiar voice. Yugi looked over and saw Atem looking at him, concerned. "Are you alright?"

Yugi looked around and saw his friends and his Grandpa, all lying asleep in chairs around his hospital bed. "You're all here…" Yugi said softly. "Where… is here?" He asked. What had happened?

Atem chuckled quietly. "This is Domino Hospital, Yugi." He said. "Can you tell me… what the last thing you remember is?"

Yugi thought. He did remember…

_Yugi sat at his desk, reading. Suddenly the scene around him changed. He stood up. There was only one bed in his room, and pictures of Yugi and the gang had changed… into pictures of Yugi and his parents. _

_A knock came at the door. "Yugi, sweetie?" Kanae's cheery voice called out. "It's time for lunch." _

"_What?" Yugi thought. "This can't be happening…" _

_Yugi's thoughts were interrupted by a dripping sound. He looked down and saw drops of crimson liquid hitting the floor. It was blood from his own nose. He felt suddenly exhausted and sat down against the wall, his vision fading._

"_Yugi?" Kanae asked, entering the room. She looked horrified and ran over to his side. "Yugi?! Are you alright?!" she asked, trying to wake him._

"_You're not real…" he said with the last of his strength. "You can't be…"_

Everything was darkness after that. But he couldn't tell Atem he was hallucinating, could he? "I already passed out, and now I'm in a hospital." he thought. "Atem's already worried."

"I…" Yugi whispered. "I don't really know." Atem looked even more concerned.

Joey woke with a snort. "I'm up…" he mumbled. "I wasn't asleep." His sudden outburst woke the others, who noticed Yugi was awake.

"Yug', are you okay?"

"Is something hurting?"

"What can we do?"

"What do you remember?"

Their voices came jumbled and all at once. Yugi held his forehead… they were making his brain throb.

"Guys, shut up." Atem said, noticing Yugi's condition. "We're going to get the doctor in here, alright?"

Yugi nodded, and Atem left to get the doctor. Yugi lay back to ease his headache, and the others swarmed closer to him.

"Yug' man, do you remember what happened?" Joey asked, grabbing Yugi's hand. Yugi shook his head, not saying anything. They sat in silence until Atem returned with the doctor.

"Hello, Yugi." The doctor said cheerfully. "I'm Dr. Janice McClellan." She offered her hand for Yugi to shake, but Yugi didn't reciprocate.

"What's wrong with me?" Yugi asked quietly, looking down at the covers he was beneath.

Dr. McClellan was taken aback by his bluntness, but ignored it. "I looked over your case file, Yugi." She said. "I see you've had a history of mental illness."

"A history of mental illness?" Atem asked incredulously. Nakamura nodded.

"Why are you telling me things I already know, Doctor?" Yugi asked softly.

"I can see you want to get straight to the point." She said, and looked at the noteboard she carried. "You have a brain tumor, Yugi."

There was silence in the room. Tea looked like she was going to cry, Atem looked horrified, Joey looked angry, while Yugi looked like he didn't really care.

The doctor took a deep breath. She hated having to tell patients that. "It originated in the memory center of your brain, and now it has spread to your sensory perception." Silence filled the room. Janice was beginning to feel very uncomfortable. "But we can operate on it. There's a chance of brain damage but," she paused. "It's your decision, Mr. Mutou. Uh," She looked at the three Mr. Mutous in the room. "Yugi Mutou, that is. You have a chance to think about it." She said, and left Yugi and his friends alone in the room.

"Yugi…" Tristan started. But Yugi shook his head.

"Don't say anything if you're going to pity me, Tristan. And the same goes for all of you." Yugi said.

Tea fought to control the sorrow and fear in her voice before she spoke. "You… you are going to have the surgery, aren't you?" she asked with forced calmness.

"I don't know." Yugi said shortly.

Everyone felt very uncomfortable. They had so many questions… but they didn't want to upset Yugi.

"Yugi," Atem started. Yugi looked at him. "If you've had this brain tumor, then you would have had side effects. Have you… noticed anything?"

Yugi looked down again. "I guess I need to tell them what's been happening…" Yugi thought. "At least I know what's wrong now."

"Guys…" Yugi said. "Ever since a few days ago, I've been noticing things in my memory." Everyone leaned forward, interested. "I… I remember when I was little… my parents were murdered." Tea looked horror-struck. "But… I've suddenly remembered other things… like another world, where my parents never died. I was just a schizophrenic in a mental institution… and all of this…" He waved his hand to signify his surroundings. "…was just a figment of my imagination."

"Yeah, but," Joey interrupted. "You've never been in a mental institution, right Yug'?"

Grandpa cleared his throat, and Yugi looked sad. "Yes, I have." Yugi said very quietly. All of his friends were disquieted, shifting in their seats.

Yugi continued. "Now it's like I have two sets of memories. What happened… and what would have happened if my parents were still alive."

"Yugi," Grandpa said in an assuring voice. "You know we're real. After everything we've experienced together…"

"He's right, Yugi." said Tea. "This feeling of friendship we have just can't be fake."

Yugi looked at them and their nervous faces. Then those faces began to fade, and other ones replaced them.

"Yugi?" said Ichigo. "Son?"

"Can you see us, sweetie?" Kanae asked.

"Mom… Dad?" Yugi asked, shocked.

"He can see us!" said Kanae, relieved. "But why couldn't he see us before? What's happening to him?"

Dr. Yoshida shook his head. "The effects of the electroshock therapy seem to be reversing."

"Well, we'll do it again, right?" said Ichigo anxiously.

"I'm afraid not, Mr. Mutou. We risked enough brain damage doing it once, we can't do it again. Not after everything we've found out. We'll have to resort to traditional methods."

"What do we have to do to keep our son?" Kanae asked, holding Yugi protectively. Yugi leaned into the touch, the motherly embrace he had lacked for so long.

Yoshida looked Yugi in the eye. "Yugi?" he asked, getting his attention.

Yugi looked back at him. "Yes, Doctor?"

"We need you to fight this, Yugi. We need you to do everything you can to stay with us, where you belong."

"No, no, I can't. They're my friends, I can't leave them."

"They're not real, Yugi. They're just tricks. You have to realize that. Take your time, but remember us."

Yugi flashed back to "reality" in an instant. The gang had backed away from him, disturbed. Dr. McClellan was speaking to them.

"He's in the middle of a hallucination. His symptoms are increasing in frequency. We'll have to operate quickly if we want to avoid serious brain damage."

"Guys?" Yugi said faintly. "What…?"

Atem came close and knelt down next to him. "Yugi, you were hallucinating." Atem put his hand on Yugi's cheek. "You need to have this operation."

Yugi didn't know what to do. "Could you guys… leave me alone for a while?" he said finally. "I need to think for a while." Everyone nodded.

"Of course, Yugi." Atem said, getting up to leave. "We'll be outside, just let us know when you're ready."

Yugi lay down and curled into a fetal ball. He closed his eyes, and when he opened them, he found himself back with his parents.

"He's coming back to us." Yoshida said.

"Yugi," Kanae entreated. "I know about your 'otherworld'. I know that you went on grand adventures with your friends, and that you found a way to write your story so that you had a close brotherly bond with this 'Atem'. But we're here for you, sweetie. We love you, and we want to be with you forever."

"Son," Ichigo said. "In the last few months, you haven't had many adventures, have you? You've just been living life with these fake friends of yours. You have family here, Yugi, and you can have friends too. Just stay with us." He pleaded.

Yugi stopped. Everything he had believed before he met Atem completely was completely disproved… and now he was a part of a world with magic, monsters, 5,000-year-old pharaohs… none of it made any sense at all.

"Mom, Dad…" Yugi said. "I want to be with you again. Help me. Tell me what I have to do."


	5. Perfidy

I'm soooo sorry everyone! I should have let you guys know that I was taking off for winter break! Next time, I promise.

* * *

"Tell me what I have to do to be with you again." Yugi said, crying.

"Yugi," Dr. Yoshida said. "The first thing to do is to eliminate the option of your brain surgery. It's just a trap in your mind to take you away from us."

"Okay, I can do that." Yugi said. "I'll come back… I promise."

Yugi re-awoke in his "otherworld" and ripped the IV out of his arm. He stood and stumbled out of his room, his legs feeling weak. The others saw him and stood up.

"Yugi? Are you sure you should be out of bed?" Atem asked, concerned.

"We're going home." Yugi said shortly, crossing his arms.

"What? How can you even say that?" Tea asked incredulously.

"Yeah, man, you could die!" Joey yelled at him.

"I could always die!" Yugi yelled back. "What I don't want is to live retarded and incapable for the rest of my life! I want to live for as long as I can! But… I want to _live_. Really live."

Grandpa wasn't satisfied. "Yugi, the doctor told us that you will live in a split reality. You won't be able to sense things properly if you don't do this. You'll be in pain, too. Do you want to 'really live' like that?"

"Yes." Yugi said with conviction. Tristan still refused to accept it.

"Yugi's only 16 years old!" he shouted to the doctor. "He can't be responsible to make these decisions!"

"I'm afraid he can, in these circumstances." Janice said sadly. "It's his choice to make."

Atem looked disappointedly at Yugi. "Do you really want to do this?" he asked.

Yugi looked back at him. He hated making his friends feel like this, but he would do what he had to do. "I've made up my mind."

Atem sighed, with an edge of bitterness. "… Fine, then. Let's go home."

"You're doing very well, sweetie." said Kanae. "I know that must have been hard."

"What now?" Yugi whispered. He didn't want his friends to know he was here.

"This is going to be very hard, son, but I know you're strong enough." Ichigo said.

"In order to give yourself completely to us, you need to eliminate the things that are keeping you there." Yoshida said. "Your friends… your Grandpa. They are all just mental traps."

Yugi nodded and closed his eyes.

"Do whatever's easiest for you, Yugi."

* * *

It had been a few days after Yugi had gone to the hospital. Atem and the others were still looking at him like he was going to drop dead any minute. He had taken care to find the perfect opportunity… and today was his chance. Atem and Tea had gone out on a date, and he had invited Joey and Tristan over to hang out.

"The easiest way to do this…" Yugi thought. "Eight years ago… in my fantasy… killing them would have been simple. I need to get back into that attitude again. I can do this… I have to do this! For my parents… for myself."

"Wow… that was a weird movie!" Tea said, giggling. Atem laughed as well.

"It was rather… unconventional." He joked. "Did you want to come over? See the others?"

Tea nodded, her smile fading. "Yeah, I'd like that." She hesitated. "I still can't believe Yugi opted out of his surgery."

Atem looked solemn as well. "I can understand his reasons, though. And he doesn't seem to be experiencing any more side effects."

"That we know of." Tea said.

Atem nodded. "That we know of."

They walked in silence back to the game shop. "They should be upstairs." Atem said, as he proceeded toward the living room. "Guys?"

Yugi walked up behind them. "They already left." He said, smiling.

Atem turned around. "Already? Hmm… that was a short stay."

Yugi laughed. "Yeah, I guess so." He turned towards Tea, rubbing the back of his head. "Tea… can I speak to you privately for a minute?" he asked, seeming shy.

"Sure, Yugi." She said. Tea turned to Atem. "Can you hold on a sec'?"

"Sure." Atem said, sitting down on the couch.

"Thanks." Yugi said quickly, and dragged Tea out of the room to talk.

Atem waited for a long while. "I wonder what they've been talking about for so long. It's been 20 minutes…" He was pulling out of his ponderings when he heard the door behind him. Atem turned, only to stare a gun in the face.

"Sorry." The voice of the gun's owner said, right before he pulled the trigger.

* * *

Atem awoke groggily a few hours later. "What happened?" He thought, before he remembered the last moments before he passed out. He heard muffled moans, and looked around to see the rest of the gang, including Yugi's grandpa, bound and gagged on the basement floor. The area had been cleared, the piano respectfully moved under the stairs. And sitting on those stairs, much to Atem's surprise, was Yugi.

"Joey and Tristan were pretty heavy, you know." Yugi said calmly, holding the tranquilizer gun he had used to incapacitate them. Atem found himself gagged too, so he couldn't incredulously ask Yugi what the heck he was doing.

Yugi smiled at him. "I bet I know what you're thinking!" he said cheerfully, standing up and putting his gun aside. "You're thinking… 'What the heck is he doing?', right?" Yugi asked, giggling. "That's a rhetorical question; I don't expect you to answer."

He knelt down in front of Atem. "Do you really think that this is real?" Yugi asked quietly. "Do you really think that all of this about magic and ancient games and mind control is possible? Even you, Atem…" Yugi paused, looking less cheerful then he was before. "A 5,000 year old pharaoh, who possesses the body of a modern, teenage boy to help him play a card game which dictates the fate of the world." Yugi giggled hysterically, standing and pacing across the floor. "Then! That pharaoh and that boy and their friends go back in time to Ancient Egypt to regain the pharaoh's memories and save the world."

Yugi turned back to Atem, glaring at him coldly. "How could you tell me that's real?!" He yelled. "Why do you insist on taking me away from my parents for something as ridiculous as that?! Are you really that selfish?! All of you?!" Yugi stopped, tears forming in his eyes. "I just want to be normal again. I just want to be with my family again." Yugi backed up. "That's why I have to do this."

Yugi reached toward the stairs and pulled up an amulet. "If in this world, magic exists… then I can use it to my advantage." He gripped the amulet so hard that the blood from his hand poured over it. He glowed with a sickly purple aura and began to chant. "Anima, immanis et inanis! (1) Come forth, Chimera! King of Mythical Beasts!" A dark vortex appeared in the ceiling and floor, electricity connecting them. A bright flash illuminated the room, and Chimera appeared, snarling with feral rage.

Yugi backed up, tears poured down his cheeks.

"Kill them."

* * *

Hahahaha, that was fun. Having Yugi yell at Yami.

(1) That's Latin for "Soul, monstrous and empty." I think. I got it from some Latin songs and stuff.


	6. Absolution

Here it is, everyone! The last REAL chapter! Just like last time, their will be a poem/song for the epilogue.

Readers, I need your help.

I have two stories in the works. One is another sort of "epic" story, and the other is my very first fluff piece. Now, I refuse to post two unfinished stories at one time, so I'm going to have to ask you to vote as to which one you want to read next. Here are the summaries:

**eXtasy**: Yugi and the gang go to a fantasy duelist getaway for some R&R. Little do they realize, there's a lot less R&R in this vacation then they thought.

**Electricity**: A somewhat late Christmas fluff fic. What will the gang do on Christmas when they're trapped in Yugi's house and the power's gone out?

Please let me know in your reviews. Thanks, and please enjoy the heart-warming conclusion!

* * *

Yugi backed away from his summoned Chimera. "Kill them." were his orders, much to the dismay of his friends, who lay bound, gagged, and helpless on the floor. Chimera leaped at Tea, who squirmed and kicked Chimera in the face. Atem knew he needed a way to get free if he wanted to save his friends and help Yugi regain his senses. If this was going to be a duel of magic… so be it. 

Atem's eyes glowed with shadow magic, and he wordlessly disintegrated the bonds that held him and the others. Regardless of the fact that they could move, they still needed to defeat Chimera. It had taken a lot of spirit energy to remove those bonds without chanting, so he wouldn't be able to summon a monster strong enough.

"Guys!" he called out to the others. "We need a way to get rid of him ourselves! We need to team up to beat him!" The others agreed as they dodged and weakly assaulted the monstrous Chimera. "We need a strategy."

Yugi crawled into the corner and began to cry. He hated hurting his friends. His mother and father gathered around him, comforting him.

"I know this is hard, Yugi, but you're strong. You always have been." Kanae encouraged, holding Yugi close to her, stroking his hair.

Tea was bait. As Chimera charged at her, Atem rushed her out of harm's way, and then Joey and Tristan rammed it into a wall. They started to kick it mercilessly, until it gave a rough bite to Joey's leg. Joey cried out and fell to the ground, allowing the Chimera to pounce on him. Tristan bellowed in rage and tackled the Chimera to the floor, putting Tristan in a vulnerable position.

Atem used the remnants of his magical energy to telekinetically throw Chimera across the room, and then healed Joey's wound.

"You can do anything if you put your mind to it, sweetie. Remember what I taught you." Kanae said, holding Yugi's tear-stained face. "Remember who you are. You're my Yugi. You're better than anything that anyone can set against you. You may feel alone sometimes, but remember that you have people who love you. We're always with you, Yugi."

Yugi stopped crying. Finally, he understood. "You're right, Mom." He said quietly, smiling. "Thank you for helping me." Kanae and Ichigo thought that they had their son back at last. "Good-bye." Yugi said softly, and closed his eyes, not to see the horror-stricken looks on his parents' faces as they realized they would never speak to him again.

"Chimera!" Yugi called out, standing up. "Return from whence you came!" The dark vortexes opened again, and Chimera disappeared in a flash of light.

Yugi looked at all of his friends, who were panting, worried, and even bleeding in some cases. "I'm so sorry." Yugi choked out, falling to the floor. "I'm so sorry for everything." Yugi said as he wept uncontrollably.

Atem knelt down next to him and cupped his chin. "I think we should get you that operation, partner."

* * *

Atem was worried out of his mind. The side-effects Yugi mentioned earlier were still an issue, even though the side-effects caused by Yugi not getting the operation were big issues themselves. 

Everyone else was worried too. Tea was bouncing continually in her chair, Joey was wearing a fairly large ditch in the floor from his pacing, and Tristan and Grandpa probably gained ten pounds in that one day, considering the amount of vending machine food that they ate.

That's why they veritably assaulted Dr. McClellan as she came out of the Operating Room to give the news of Yugi's procedure.

"How is he?"

"Is he okay?"

"Did anything go wrong?"

"How's he faring?"

Dr. McClellan laughed. "I think I understand." She said, amused. "As far as we know, the surgery went just fine. We'll have to talk to him when he wakes up, just to make sure, though."

A collective sigh of relief ran throughout the group. "Can we see him?" Atem asked.

"Of course." said Janice. "He's unconscious, but feel free. I'm sure he'll feel better if he sees some familiar faces when he wakes up."

For many more hours, all of Yugi's friends waited at his bedside. Regardless of the change of scenery, their nervous habits continued in full force. Atem, however, just sat beside Yugi, staring into his face and holding his hand. It was the next day before Yugi opened his eyes.

"Guys?" He mumbled sleepily. Tristan, who had fallen asleep with his hand in the Doritos, woke with a start, spraying the chips everywhere. There was silence, when suddenly Atem burst into hysterical laughter.

"What…?" Yugi said, starting to laugh. "What the heck is wrong with you?!" He said, softly hitting Atem on the head. Atem was currently doubled over, shaking with silent sniggers. Everyone began to laugh at this strange sight. Doritos were everywhere and Atem was stricken with hearty guffaws. When the insanity subsided, Joey leaned forward and poked Yugi in the chest.

"You!" Joey said accusingly. "Are you planning on killing us, or did the surgery work?"

Yugi pretended to think. "Well, I'm not planning on killing ALL of you…" he said jokingly. Everyone in the room laughed at that. They joked and laughed until visiting hours ended and everyone except Atem and Grandpa had to leave. Then they talked more, making sure Yugi's memory was sound, until Grandpa fell asleep.

Atem noticed Yugi looking sad. "You miss your parents, don't you?" he asked.

Yugi nodded. "I know it wasn't real, but… I miss the way that my mom used to hold me… and the way she used to stroke my hair… and the way my dad always used to burn the pancakes." He laughed sadly.

Atem sat next to Yugi and put his hand on Yugi's shoulder. "You will always have people who love you, Yugi."

Yugi closed his eyes and leaned against Atem. "I'm sorry. After everything we've been through… and I go and tell you that you aren't real."

Atem put his chin on Yugi's head. "It's alright, Yugi. I understand." Atem smiled. "It does seem a little ridiculous, doesn't it?"

"I know, but," Yugi stopped. "Can you forgive me?"

"I forgive you."

* * *

Dr. Yoshida flashed a light in Yugi's wide, unseeing eyes. He backed up and turned to Mr. and Mrs. Mutou. 

"I'm sorry, but there's no response at all." He said sadly. Kanae burst into tears and Ichigo held her close, trying to comfort her.

Yoshida took off his glasses and wiped them on his jacket.

"I'm afraid we've lost him forever."


	7. Epilogue Covetousness

Alright! I officially got 2 votes from cheeky-eyes and Arion Girl for Electricity, which will be up in a few days. Thanks guys!

Thanks to Arion Girl, A.YamiYugi, pequena, Psycho Kage Suma, Lipana, Tala2u, 1992nauro, Panguins-in-American-Oh-my, and cheeky-eyes for reviewing!

Super Special Totally Awesome thanx to Arion Girl for reviewing for every chapter!

Thank you so much, pequena, Adsica, Arion Girl, DragonWarrior135, Tala2u, and 1992nauro, for favoriting this story!

Extended gratitude to cheeky-eyes, Arion Girl, and pequena for putting me on Story Alert! And Arion Girl, I'm very sorry that your Story Alert is malfunctioning.

Chocolate and respect to 1992nauro, Arion Girl (again), DragonWarrior135, pequena, Tala2u for making me one of your favorite authors!

And so much love to A.YamiYugi, Dreams Lady, pequena, redconvoy, and Sailor Lorraine for putting me on your author alert list!

And thanks to the 304 people who have read the first chapter.

* * *

Doesn't it seem like I'm blind

I can't see the things around me

I'm searching for an otherworld

Where things are what they should be

-

It's hard to live, isn't it?

When all you see is what's wrong

It's hard to see the light now

I've been in dark for so long

-

Can't tell what's right or wrong

Can't understand my place

Don't know what's real or not

I covet the thrill of the chase

-

Doesn't it seem like it sucks

The pain of life around you

I'm searching for an otherworld

Where love comes to my rescue

-

Fortune is relative

I'm blessed to some who have less

I search for the impossible

That's how I got in this mess

-

Can't tell what right or wrong

Can't understand my place

Don't know what's real or not

I covet the thrill of the chase

-

I'll leave my past behind

I'll put it in its place

I'll walk towards tomorrow

And covet the thrill of the chase

* * *

W00T! The end of the fic is here, which means we can get started on the next one! I'll see you soon, hopefully! I appreciate everything you've said along the way.

Love,

Cactus Bob.


End file.
